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Category: BRC

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RAMS update from the BRC

To keep the marketing, media and advertising industry abreast of information, the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRC), has released a short update on the progress of the new RAMS (Radio Audience Measurement Survey).

“The CATI (Computer Aided Telephonic Interviews) portion of RAMS is currently in field and by the end of June, we will have secured 9 000 interviews which equates to three months’ worth of data representing Q2,” says BRC’s CEO, Gary Whitaker.

“As this does not constitute the full sample size of 36 000 the BRC’s Radio Research Committee will scrutinize the data before its release to ensure that we achieve an adequate sample size per station. Subject to this scrutiny session we will be able to release the RAMS data at the end of July or beginning of August 2021.”

The methodology will be structured into two parts - firstly, 3 000 CATI (Computer Aided Telephonic Interviews) will be conducted monthly (36 000 per year and nationally representative) providing audience measurement in 15-minute segments, along with audience tracking on radio events and roadshows. The programme will cover 280 stations (commercial, African language and community).

Secondly, still to come and to track both linear and non-linear listening, a MediaCell Passive Listening Panel will measure linear broadcast and digital consumption of 4 000 panelists daily, with minute-by-minute tracking of activities.

For more information on the BRC visit https://brcsa.org.za/

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The BRC releases Interim Radio Data

Given the previous lack of available RAMS data due to Covid, the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRC), has now released an interim radio dataset (surveyed by Ask Afrika) to the industry. The need for human connection has never been greater and radio, in part, fulfils that need!

“We’re extremely pleased to report that radio listening in South Africa is still healthy after reviewing the first wave of the interim radio data,” says BRC’s CEO, Gary Whitaker. “Since Q1 2020 and our last data release, although media consumption and listening habits have fluctuated and changed, it remains important to alleviate the pressure of radio data being unavailable to the industry.”

It does however need to be stressed that comparisons between RAMS and the Interim data is not advised as the design between the two measurements differ as is the comparison of a radio currency (diary) to a non-currency methodology.

The interim data indicates that 95% of the population claim that they have ever listened to the radio and 91% of those that have ever listened, claim to have listened in the past 7 days. 92% of radio listeners claim that they listen at home, which aligns with our nation’s past and present lockdown regulations.

The average amount of radio listening time per day (Monday to Sunday) is three hours and 51 minutes, but Sundays are however the most listened to day in the week averaging out at to just under four hours. Core listening during a work week occurs between 6AM and 12PM. On a Saturday, listening extends to 6PM while on a Sunday listening is condensed between 9AM and 3PM.

Proving that radio is a trusted source of information as well as entertaining, news and music remain the content genres of choice for radio listeners while most still use radio for companionship, keeping informed and listening to talk shows.

“As a trusted media source, radio is an essential asset in media campaigns, and I believe that this survey has once again proved the value, reach and effectiveness of radio as an advertising medium – even, if not more so, in a pandemic,” concludes Whitaker. “The research is available and can be freely accessed by Telmar and Nielsen license holders.”

For more information on the BRC visit https://brcsa.org.za/

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TAMS panel healthy and in full working order

According to the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRC), the core of South African TV measurement, the TAMS (TV Audience Measurement Survey) panel, is in full working order with no reports of loss of signal on the back of the commencement of the phased switch-off of analogue television transmitters in the Free State.

“The TAMS panel continues to form the cornerstone of video audience measurement in South Africa and no irregularities have been picked up after the analogue TV signal was switched off in certain areas of the Free State a couple of months ago,” says BRC’s CEO Gary Whitaker. “The standard Nielsen quality check process evaluates every TAMS panel household daily and flags any unusual viewing behaviour.”

It is estimated that there are more than three million South African households still on the analogue television platform which has caused speculation in the marketing, media and advertising industries that the switch-off and implementation of DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) will negatively impact the TAMS panel as panel households possibly lose access to a TV signal. However, procedures are in place to preserve the continuity and integrity of the panel.

In the case of any households losing access to TV signal due to the DTT switchover or any other any unusual viewing behaviour for that matter, Nielsen (charged with maintaining and recording of TV audience measurement) waits for three days for the anomaly to correct and then calls the household to assess the cause of change.

In tandem with the DTT rollout schedule (as indicated below), Nielsen’s call centre will communicate with Free-To-Air Households to enquire if they have received and installed the DTT decoder. Government has committed to subsidise households with a combined household income of less than R3 200 per month. Households that do not qualify for fully subsidised government decoders have an option of buying new integrated digital television (IDTV) sets that have the DTT decoding capability built in.

Whitaker confirms, “Should a TAMS panel household lose access to TV signal due to the switch off and no DTT box or decoder is installed thereafter, the household will be replaced with a lookalike household, ensuring a balanced representative panel.”

“To date, the TAMS Panel has remained in full working order with no reports of loss of signal, but to reiterate, we have continuous monitoring and procedures in place for any unusual viewing behaviour,” concludes Whitaker.

*Project timeline estimations for the phased switch-off of analogue TV transmitters by province:

  • Free State: March 2021
  • Northern Cape: April 2021
  • North West: May 2021
  • Mpumalanga: May 2021
  • Eastern Cape: May 2021
  • Kwa-Zulu Natal: July 2021
  • Western Cape: November 2021
  • Limpopo: December 2021
  • Gauteng: January 2022

Call centre number for aftercare service: 086 736 832

For more information on the BRC visit https://brcsa.org.za/

*https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/phased-analogue-switch-underway-free-state

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The BRC to commission a more comprehensive TAMS audit

There have been rapid changes in the recent video viewing landscape exacerbated by the Covid outbreak and the resultant accelerated changes in access to alternate video services and data. In this context, it is more important than ever that the industry remains confident in the TAMS (TV Audience Measurement Survey) panel, the core of South African TV measurement!

The TAMS panel will continue to form the cornerstone of video audience measurement in South Africa as the industry moves forward on the path of including additional screens, platforms and services into Total Video (TV). To this end, the 2021 TAMS audit will be a more comprehensive and expansive audit than in previous years.

“In 2020 we planned an audit encompassing 50 household visits. Unfortunately, the audit was not conducted due to the Covid lockdown,” says BRC’s CEO Gary Whitaker. “This year, the BRC will be validating the panel and implementing 200 coincidental household checks using a remote Covid safe methodology.”

During 2020, TAMS technicians were unable to carry out their normal maintenance activities resulting in The BRC commissioning auditors 3M3A, analyzing the possible effect this would have on the panel and the data. The check was completed in July 2020 by comparing the panel data for two weeks in 2020, from January 13th to 19th and July 6th to 12th.

Overall findings determined that the panel had decreased in size from January to July by 8% from 10 727 to 9 907 with decay happening to all parts of the panel. The panel also saw the mean weight increasing slightly since there are fewer panel members to carry the universe weight. There was no significant increase in the standard deviation and the Panel Efficiency also remained the same. At that point, the panel was still deemed to be a good currency overall for TV advertising in South Africa, however a more in-depth analysis will take place by means of the upcoming audit.

The broad scope of this year’s audit will include amongst others, a technical check – viewing recording and reporting correctly as per the previous audit and ascertaining the general health of the panel. The audit will also include an environmental review; a qualitative review of factors including power supply and information on viewing on other platforms and devices. Whitaker says, “The audit report will have significant input on informing our scope for future measurement including OTT/Streaming, leading into an RFP after the audit. Zero Ratings, which is a global phenomenon brought on by increased fragmentation, continues to challenge all industry players but measurement of OTT/Streaming, amongst other planned interventions, will offer some relief.”

The audit will also include heavy analysis of the changes in the market landscape over recent years, changes to the data output as a result of adjustments to RIMS (Random Iterative Method Weighting) and the universe update to the PAMS universe estimates from the ES (Establishment Survey), more specifically Household and SEM universe estimates.

“The BRC is planning to commission the 2021 TAMS audit by the beginning of April and will run for a period of two months due to the intensive and expansive nature thereof,” concludes Whitaker. “Results of the audit will be publicised shortly thereafter.”

“We have been extremely aware of the impact the pandemic has had on all research, not only here in South Africa, but globally, and by commissioning extra surveys and checks, we will ensure that all of our data is correct, in good health, reflective of the situation and representative of the universe.”

For more information on the BRC visit https://brcsa.org.za/

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